一神与多种基拉

一神与多种基拉

菲斯城里，有个诡辩家站在神庙的台阶上宣讲多神教。老百姓在心里说道："这一切我们统统知道。难道众神不是同我们一起生活，我们走到哪儿他们也跟到哪儿吗？"不久以后，另一个人站在市场里，对老百姓讲道："没有神。"许多听他讲话的人，对他传来的信息感到高兴，因为他们惧怕众神。

另一天又来了个口若悬河、能言善辩的人，他说："只有一个神。"于是老百姓都惊惶了，因为在他们心底里，惧怕神的审判甚于众神的审判。

在同一季节里，又来了一个人，他对老百姓说："共有三个神，他们三为一体住在风里，他们有一个庞大而仁慈的母亲，这位母亲也是他们的同伴和姐妹。"

于是人人都安心了，因为他们悄悄地在说："三合一的神必定对我们的缺点意见分歧，而且，他们的仁慈的母亲，一定会为我们这些可怜的意志薄弱者辩护的。"

直至今天，基拉菲斯城里仍旧有些人，还在为了多神或无神，一神或三神会一及其仁慈的母亲互相辩论和争执不休。

God And Many Gods

In the city of Kilafis a sophist stood on the steps of the Temple and preached many gods. And the people said in their hearts, "We know all this. Do they not live with us and follow us wherever we go?"

Not long after, another man stood in the market place and spoke unto the people and said, "There is no god." And many who heard him were glad of his tidings, for they were afraid of gods.

And upon another day there came a man of great eloquence, an he said, "There is but one God." And now the people were dismayed for in their hearts they feared the judgment of one God more than that of many gods.

That same season there came yet another man, and he said to the people, "There are three gods, and they dwell upon the wind as one, and they have a vast and gracious mother who is also their mate and their sister."

Then everyone was comforted, for they said in their secret, "three gods in one must needs disagree over our failings, and besides, their gracious mother will surely be an advocate for us poor weaklings."

Yet even to this day there are those in the city of Kilafis who wrangle and argue with each other about many gods and no god, and one god and three gods in one, and a gracious mother of gods.